Thomas Tompion No.89: A Charles II ebony quarter repeating bracket timepiece, the case on block feet and with typical gilt-bronze accanthas sound fret to the front door with twin foliate escutcheons, pierced wood sound frets to the glazed sides, foliate cast gilt-metal sound frets to the cushion-moulded top with typical accanthus tied handle, the 15.5cm.sq. dial signed Tho.Tompion Londoni Facit within the scored line border beneath the silvered chapter ring with typical sword-hilt half-hour markers, pierced blued hands, finely matted centre, finely cast and chased winged cherub spandrels, latches to the three dial feet and to the six baluster pillars of the single fusee (wirelines) movement, verge escapement with calibrated bob pendulum, typical pull quarter repeat from either side on Tompions system with single-cocked steel cantilever striking on two bells, the gilt backplate signed Thomas Tompion Londoni Facit within a foliate engraved oval reserve amongst profuse scrolling foliage and with serial number stamped 89 at the base

Details

Thomas Tompion No.89: A Charles II ebony quarter repeating bracket timepiece, the case on block feet and with typical gilt-bronze accanthas sound fret to the front door with twin foliate escutcheons, pierced wood sound frets to the glazed sides, foliate cast gilt-metal sound frets to the cushion-moulded top with typical accanthus tied handle, the 15.5cm.sq. dial signed Tho.Tompion Londoni Facit within the scored line border beneath the silvered chapter ring with typical sword-hilt half-hour markers, pierced blued hands, finely matted centre, finely cast and chased winged cherub spandrels, latches to the three dial feet and to the six baluster pillars of the single fusee (wirelines) movement, verge escapement with calibrated bob pendulum, typical pull quarter repeat from either side on Tompions system with single-cocked steel cantilever striking on two bells, the gilt backplate signed Thomas Tompion Londoni Facit within a foliate engraved oval reserve amongst profuse scrolling foliage and with serial number stamped 89 at the base
12 3/4in. (32.5cm.) high

Literature

R. W. Symonds, Thomas Tompion, his life and work, London, 1951,
p. 147, 195, 280, figs. 115, 178

Lot Essay

This particularly fine example of a Tompion timepiece was made circa 1685-90. It has been largely un-touched by the ravages Victorian clockmaking and has a particularly well engraved backplate in the Arabesque style. It is also interesting to note the difference between this engraving compared to that of the striking example No. 36 lot 267, a clock made perhaps only one or two years earlier

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